The dog breeding business in Kenya is slightly gaining popularity, and those in it have attested to its profitability.

According to Cyrus Maina, who has been in this business since 1985, with a capital of Sh20,000, one can start a dog breeding business.

The ex-Ulinzi star coach, who has 42 mature dogs in his home in Kirigiti Kiambu county, added that to start a dog breeding business, one should have knowledge about it and passion.

“In breeding dogs, you work with what is known as ‘working line.’ These are dogs with stronger qualities, such as powerful muscles, and are purposely selected for breeding. This means the breeder should know their animals well,’’ he said.

To grow healthy, the puppies need nutritious, well-balanced food and clean water. While dogs are carnivores, Maina notes they need other nutrients such as carbohydrates and vitamins.

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He feeds his dogs with meat, cooked rice, and other concentrates from the shop. The food is usually well cooked to prevent the dogs from contracting diseases such as diarrhea.

For the concentrates, the breeder should be keen on the expiry dates as expired concentrates have high aflatoxin which kills dogs.

“I feed the mature dogs once a day, especially at night. For the puppies, I feed them twice, and every meal must contain milk,” he stated.

Breeding the dog when she is over 15 months is advisable since, at this age, she has fully matured physically and sexually.

At this time, a farmer will be able to detect signs of heat which include blood on the vulva and others licking on the back. Three to six mating sessions are enough to make the female pregnant.

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A dog’s gestation period is 60 days, and one can get up to 14 puppies in a single birth. The mother should be fed 24/7 as it can eat her puppies if left to starve.

Experts discourage Breeding the animals early, from six months to a year, as the dog is still immature, which may lead to difficulties while giving birth.

Hygiene is another key aspect of good dog breeding. Maina explained that his dogs are sprayed twice a week, and the kennels are cleaned two times a week.

Vaccination of the puppies is crucial to prevent early deaths during teeth removal as well as diseases such as rabies.

“The first vaccine offered is called DHPP, which prevents distemper, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and two types of hepatitis. This vaccine is given at 8, 12, and 16 weeks a year later, and thereafter between one to three years after the dose.” He added.

The dogs should also be dewormed every two to three months to eliminate internal parasites that can inhibit their growth.

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Maina also trains his dogs and rents them to security firms, among them G4S, families, and tea factories.

“For chain training, I have a special bench where I strap the dog so that it gets used to being chained. Chaining is key for good dog control. I also walk around with the dogs for exposure and to build their confidence and meet different people.”

“This way, it knows that not everyone should be attacked. A dog should also know basic commands like come, stop, attack, and bring. It should also be able to know its name.” he said.

Maina notes that the market for dogs is huge. He sells his animals to breeders, families, and security firms, among others. A puppy goes for Sh15,000.

For anyone planning to venture into this lucrative dog breeding business, have passion, get it right on breeds, feed them right, spend time with your dogs, keep records, and be versatile in your marketing.